Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement Initiative
In 2024, the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (AKCH2), along with the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, received a $2 million HUD Youth Homeless System Improvement (YHSI) grant. This grant is intended to scale up both coalitions’ ability to better serve youth, ages 18-24, experiencing housing instability in Alaska.
Initial Research
In order to quantify any improvements in the youth homelessness response system, it was first necessary to understand the existing system. To that end, a group of young people with lived expertise in homelessness and housing instability selected Agnew::Beck to conduct preliminary research. That report can be found here.
These initial, baseline findings will be the starting point for designing actions to improve the system. We must understand what resources are available, where throughout the state these supports can be found, what successful outcomes are being achieved, and what success means within each program. The overall goal of this study was to provide a foundation to identify gaps and inform future data collection and systems improvement for both housing and youth serving organizations to use in program and policy development.
Youth Action Boards
One of the overarching goals of the YHSI initiative is to center youth voice in discussions, decision-making, and advocacy.
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program
AKCH2 was awarded the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) grant in Fall 2019. The grant funds programs in the Alaska Balance of State aimed to help youth who are at-risk or experiencing homelessness. YHDP grants injects approximately $662,000 in HUD funding annually.
Our Vision
We believe that homelessness ends where a positive and supportive environment begins.
A supportive environment consists of a client-driven pathway to healthy and consistent relationships, personal empowerment opportunities, employment opportunities, and innovative, progressive steps to ensure that individual succeeds in life.
Our vision is that every youth and young adult in Alaska will have immediate, equitable and barrier-free access to housing and supportive services to ensure that any instance of homelessness is rare, brief, and non-reoccurring.
Coordinated Community Plan
The YHDP Planning Team consisted of over 50 representatives from state/local governments, service providers, funders, and other stakeholders across the entire state of Alaska. This team met on a weekly basis over a seven-month period to create the first ever Alaska Balance of State Coordinated Community Plan (CCP) to Prevent and End Youth Homelessness. In June 2020, HUD approved the CCP allowing for the Alaska Balance of State to begin its Request for Proposals process and move toward project implementation. We encourage all individuals interested in working to end youth homelessness to read the CCP and identify where you as an individual or an organization can assist in this work.
Email Updates
To stay up-to-date on the YHDP planning process, funding availability, and other related news, please sign up for the YHDP listserv using the form below.